Al-Isra' (61-70) Tafsir

61

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ قَالَ ءَأَسۡجُدُ لِمَنۡ خَلَقۡتَ طِينً۬ا

And [mention] when We said to the angles, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He said, "Should I prostrate to one You created from clay?"

Tafsir

Allah has encompassed Mankind and made the Vision of His Prophet a Trial for Them

Allah says to His Messenger, encouraging him to convey the Message and informing him that He is protecting him from the people, that He is able to deal with them and that they are in His grasp and under His domination and control.

﴿ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ ﴾

(And (remember) when We told you: "Verily, your Lord has encompassed mankind…'') Mujahid, `Urwah bin Az-Az-Zubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others said, "This means, He protected you from them.''

﴿ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلرُّءۡيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ ﴾

(And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind,) Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said:

﴿ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلرُّءۡيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ ﴾

(And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind,) "This is the vision which the Messenger of Allah saw with his own eyes on the night when he was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra').

﴿ وَٱلشَّجَرَةَ ٱلۡمَلۡعُونَةَ فِى ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ‌ۚ ﴾

and (likewise) the accursed tree in the Qur’an refers to the Tree of Zaqqum.'' This was also recorded by Ahmad, `Abdur-Razzaq and others. It was also reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. It was also interpreted as referring to the Night of the Isra' by Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Masruq, Ibrahim, Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and several others. We have already quoted at length a comprehensive collection of Hadith about the Isra' at the beginning of this Surah, praise be to Allah. We have also already stated that some people gave up their Islam after they had been following the truth, because their hearts and minds could not comprehend that, and they denied what their knowledge could not grasp, but Allah caused it to increase and strengthen the faith of others, and so He says:

﴿ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ ﴾

(but a trial), meaning a test. As for the cursed tree, this is the Tree of Zaqqum. When the Messenger of Allah told them that he had seen Paradise and Hell, and seen the Tree of Zaqqum, they did not believe that, and Abu Jahl, upon whom be the curses of Allah, even said, "Bring us some dates and butter,'' and he started eating them and saying, "Let us have some Zaqqum, we don't know any other Zaqqum but this.'' This was narrated by Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Abu Malik, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others. Everyone who interpreted the Ayah to refer to the Night of the Isra', also interpreted it to refer to the Tree of Zaqqum.

﴿ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمۡ ﴾

((We) make them afraid) meaning, `We make the disbelievers afraid with Our warnings and punishments and torment.'

﴿ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمۡ إِلَّا طُغۡيَـٰنً۬ا كَبِيرً۬ا ﴾

(but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.) means, it only pushes them further into their disbelief and misguidance, and this is because Allah has forsaken them.

﴿ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ قَالَ ءَأَسۡجُدُ لِمَنۡ خَلَقۡتَ طِينً۬ا • قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى ڪَرَّمۡتَ عَلَىَّ لَٮِٕنۡ أَخَّرۡتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ لَأَحۡتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ ﴾

(61. And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.'' They prostrated themselves except Iblis. He said: "Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay'') (62. He said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely, seize and mislead his offspring, all but a few!'')

62

قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى ڪَرَّمۡتَ عَلَىَّ لَٮِٕنۡ أَخَّرۡتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ لَأَحۡتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬

[Iblees] said, "Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few."

Tafsir

Allah has encompassed Mankind and made the Vision of His Prophet a Trial for Them

Allah says to His Messenger, encouraging him to convey the Message and informing him that He is protecting him from the people, that He is able to deal with them and that they are in His grasp and under His domination and control.

﴿ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ ﴾

(And (remember) when We told you: "Verily, your Lord has encompassed mankind…'') Mujahid, `Urwah bin Az-Az-Zubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others said, "This means, He protected you from them.''

﴿ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلرُّءۡيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ ﴾

(And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind,) Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said:

﴿ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلرُّءۡيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ ﴾

(And We made not the vision which We showed you but a trial for mankind,) "This is the vision which the Messenger of Allah saw with his own eyes on the night when he was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra').

﴿ وَٱلشَّجَرَةَ ٱلۡمَلۡعُونَةَ فِى ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ‌ۚ ﴾

and (likewise) the accursed tree in the Qur’an refers to the Tree of Zaqqum.'' This was also recorded by Ahmad, `Abdur-Razzaq and others. It was also reported by Al-`Awfi from Ibn `Abbas. It was also interpreted as referring to the Night of the Isra' by Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Masruq, Ibrahim, Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and several others. We have already quoted at length a comprehensive collection of Hadith about the Isra' at the beginning of this Surah, praise be to Allah. We have also already stated that some people gave up their Islam after they had been following the truth, because their hearts and minds could not comprehend that, and they denied what their knowledge could not grasp, but Allah caused it to increase and strengthen the faith of others, and so He says:

﴿ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةً۬ ﴾

(but a trial), meaning a test. As for the cursed tree, this is the Tree of Zaqqum. When the Messenger of Allah told them that he had seen Paradise and Hell, and seen the Tree of Zaqqum, they did not believe that, and Abu Jahl, upon whom be the curses of Allah, even said, "Bring us some dates and butter,'' and he started eating them and saying, "Let us have some Zaqqum, we don't know any other Zaqqum but this.'' This was narrated by Ibn `Abbas, Masruq, Abu Malik, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others. Everyone who interpreted the Ayah to refer to the Night of the Isra', also interpreted it to refer to the Tree of Zaqqum.

﴿ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمۡ ﴾

((We) make them afraid) meaning, `We make the disbelievers afraid with Our warnings and punishments and torment.'

﴿ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمۡ إِلَّا طُغۡيَـٰنً۬ا كَبِيرً۬ا ﴾

(but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah.) means, it only pushes them further into their disbelief and misguidance, and this is because Allah has forsaken them.

﴿ وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ قَالَ ءَأَسۡجُدُ لِمَنۡ خَلَقۡتَ طِينً۬ا • قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى ڪَرَّمۡتَ عَلَىَّ لَٮِٕنۡ أَخَّرۡتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ لَأَحۡتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ ﴾

(61. And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.'' They prostrated themselves except Iblis. He said: "Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay'') (62. He said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely, seize and mislead his offspring, all but a few!'')

63

قَالَ ٱذۡهَبۡ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمۡ جَزَآءً۬ مَّوۡفُورً۬ا

[Allah] said, "Go, for whoever of them follows you, indeed Hell will be the recompense of you – an ample recompense.

Tafsir

The Story of Adam and Iblis

Allah mentions here the enmity of Iblis, may the curse of Allah be upon him and his progeny. This is an ancient hatred, dating from the time that Allah created Adam, when He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, and all of them prostrated except Iblis, who was too arrogant and he haughtily refused to prostrate to him. He said in a tone indicating contempt:

﴿ قَالَ ءَأَسۡجُدُ لِمَنۡ خَلَقۡتَ طِينً۬ا ﴾

(He said: "Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay'') According to another Ayah, he said:

﴿ أَنَا۟ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡهُ‌ۖ خَلَقۡتَنِى مِن نَّارٍ۬ وَخَلَقۡتَهُ ۥ مِن طِينٍ۬ ﴾

(I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.) (7:12) He also said, speaking to the Lord with disbelief and insolence, but the Lord bore it patiently:

﴿ قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى ڪَرَّمۡتَ عَلَىَّ ﴾

(He said: "See this one whom You have honored above me...'') `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "He is saying, `I am going to dominate his offspring, all but a few.''' Mujahid said (it means), "I am going to surround them.'' Ibn Zayd said (it means), "I am going to lead them astray.'' All of them are close in meaning, and the meaning of the Ayah is, "Do You see this one whom You have honored and made greater than me If You give me time, I will lead his descendants astray, all but a few of them.''

﴿ قَالَ ٱذۡهَبۡ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمۡ جَزَآءً۬ مَّوۡفُورً۬ا • وَٱسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡہُم بِصَوۡتِكَ وَأَجۡلِبۡ عَلَيۡہِم بِخَيۡلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِ وَعِدۡهُمۡ‌ۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا • إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَـٰنٌ۬‌ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ وَڪِيلاً۬ ﴾

(63. (Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an ample recompense.) (64. "And fool them gradually, those whom you can among them with your voice, Ajlib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry, share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them.'' But Shaytan promises them nothing but deceit.) (65. "Verily, My servants, you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.'') When Iblis asked for respite, Allah said to him:

﴿ ٱذۡهَبۡ ﴾

`(Go,) I will give you respite.' According to another Ayah (Allah) said:

﴿ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ • إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡوَقۡتِ ٱلۡمَعۡلُومِ ﴾

(Verily, you are of those allowed respite till the Day of the time appointed.) (38:80-81). Then Allah warned him and those who follow him among the progeny of Adam about Hell:

﴿ قَالَ ٱذۡهَبۡ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمۡ ﴾

((Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all)) meaning, for your deeds.

﴿ جَزَآءً۬ مَّوۡفُورً۬ا ﴾

(an ample recompense.) Mujahid said, "Sufficient recompense.'' Qatadah said, "It will be abundant for you and will not be decreased for you.''

﴿ وَٱسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡہُم بِصَوۡتِكَ ﴾

(And fool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice,) It was said that this refers to singing. Mujahid said, "With idle entertainment and singing,'' meaning, influence them with that.

﴿ وَٱسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡہُم بِصَوۡتِكَ ﴾

(And fool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice,) Ibn `Abbas said, "Every caller who calls people to disobey Allah.'' This was the view of Qatadah, and was also the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir.

﴿ وَأَجۡلِبۡ عَلَيۡہِم بِخَيۡلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ ﴾

(Ajib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry.) Send your troops and cavalry and infantry against them. The meaning is, send whatever forces you have at your disposal against them. This is a command (related to the divine decree), as Allah says elsewhere:

﴿ أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ تَؤُزُّهُمۡ أَزًّ۬ا ﴾

(See you not that We have sent the Shayatin against the disbelievers to push them to do evil. ) (19:83), meaning, to provoke them and drive them towards evil.

﴿ وَأَجۡلِبۡ عَلَيۡہِم بِخَيۡلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ ﴾

(Ajlib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry,) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, "Everyone who rides or walks to go and commit sin and disobey Allah.'' Qatadah said, "He has infantry and cavalry among the Jinn and among humans. They are the ones who obey him.'' The Arabs use the verb Ajlaba when describing somebody shouting at another person. Hence it is forbidden in races to shout at one another and push one another. From this root is also derived the word Jalabah, which means raising voices.

﴿ وَشَارِكۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِ ﴾

(and share with them wealth and children,) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, "This means what he commands them to do of spending money in disobedience to Allah, may He be exalted.''

﴿ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِ ﴾

(and children,) Ibn' Abbas, as reported by Al-`Awfi, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak said, "This means the children of Zina (i.e., illegitimate children).'' `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This means the children whom they used to kill out of folly, without knowledge.'' Qatadah reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "Allah caused Shaytan to take a share of wealth and children by making them Magians, Jews and Christians, and making them follow any religion other than Islam, and by making them give a part of their wealth to the Shaytan.'' Qatadah said the same.

﴿ وَشَارِكۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِ ﴾

(and share with them wealth and children.) The fact that only wealth and children are mentioned in this Ayah, does not mean that it is limited only to those things. Everything in which a person disobeys Allah or obeys the Shaytan means that he is sharing with him. It was reported in Sahih Muslim from `Iyad bin Himar that the Messenger of Allah said:

« يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنِّي خَلَقْتُ عِبَادِي حُنَفَاءَ فَجَاءَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَاجْتَالَتْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ وَحَرَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا أَحْلَلْتُ لَهُم »

(Allah the Mighty and Exalted says, "I have created My servants as Hunafa' (monotheists), then the Shayatin come to them and lead them astray from their religion and (tell that) what I have permitted for them is forbidden to them.'') According to the Two Sahihs, the Messenger of Allah said:

« لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ أَهْلَهُ قَالَ: بِسْمِ اللهِ اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ يُقَدَّرْ بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَدٌ فِي ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَبَدًا »

(When one of you wants to have intercourse with his wife, let him say, `In the Name of Allah. O Allah, keep us away from Shaytan and keep Shaytan away from what you bestow on us (children).' Then if a child is decreed for them from that, the Shaytan will never harm him.)

﴿ وَعِدۡهُمۡ‌ۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ﴾

("...and make promises to them.'' But Shaytan promises them nothing but deceit.) As Allah tells us, Iblis will say, on the Day when the matter is decided:

﴿ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَڪُمۡ وَعۡدَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمۡ فَأَخۡلَفۡتُڪُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾

(Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you.) (14:22)

﴿ إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَـٰنٌ۬‌ۚ ﴾

(Verily, My servants, you have no authority over them.) Here Allah tells us that He supports His believing servants, and guards and protects them against the accursed Shaytan. Allah says:

﴿ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ وَڪِيلاً۬ ﴾

(And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.) meaning, as a Protector, Supporter and Helper.

﴿ رَّبُّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُزۡجِى لَڪُمُ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ فِى ٱلۡبَحۡرِ لِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۤ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ بِكُمۡ رَحِيمً۬ا ﴾

(66. Your Lord is He Who drives the ship for you through the sea, in order that you may seek of His bounty. Truly, He is ever Most Merciful towards you.)

64

وَٱسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡہُم بِصَوۡتِكَ وَأَجۡلِبۡ عَلَيۡہِم بِخَيۡلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِ وَعِدۡهُمۡ‌ۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا

And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.